Marcus Garvey: Legacy of Pan-Africanism and the UNIA

Commemorations are being held for the 139th birthday of political activist Marcus Garvey, the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and the African Communities League.

Garvey is recognized for his role in developing Garveyism, a movement aimed at uniting the African diaspora through economic, social, and political progression. Central to this movement is the Pan-African flag, designed by Garvey in 1920. The flag’s colors hold specific symbolic meanings: red represents the blood of African descendants, black represents the people, and green symbolizes the land and natural resources of the African continent.

His legacy includes the philosophy of ‘Do for self’ and the establishment of the Black Star Line, a shipping company intended to facilitate trade and connection between African-descended communities in the Caribbean, Africa, the United States, Canada, Europe, and other regions.